


Betting Odds

by Isailaway



Category: Death in Paradise
Genre: F/M, Humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29862489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isailaway/pseuds/Isailaway
Summary: Dwayne is in charge of the betting pool.Same general universe as Sporting Pursuits but can be read as a stand alone.
Relationships: Camille Bordey/Richard Poole
Comments: 14
Kudos: 14





	Betting Odds

**Author's Note:**

> So, Prof suggested that Sporting Pursuits could become a series which I totally agree with but in the meantime my muse kind of jumped straight to this.   
> I tried to write it a bit differently - I hope that it worked.   
> *****

“I’ll put 10 on something happening before Christmas.” Montel slapped the money down.

“Define something.” Dwayne replied, lowering his palm over the notes and sliding them off the table unobtrusively. 

Joseph frowned, rubbing a thick finger across his brows.“You’re very confident there, are you sure you don’t have insider knowledge?” 

Montel shook his head, dismissing the comment. “Don’t be daft. Any blind idiot can see that he’s softening-.” 

“More like she’s got the measure of him. Toying with him, that’s what she’s doing.” Floyd interjected.

“-And she’s smitten.” Montel finished his sentence, glaring at the young fisherman stood beside him.

“I’m not sure you know. It looked to me like she was more likely to strangle him than kiss him when I saw them down Main Street last week.” Sam leant in over the table to add his opinion.

“Nah, don’t you be fooled. Their relationship is a heap more complicated than that.” Montel felt confident in his assertion.

Reg let out a hoot of laughter, eyeballing each of the men gathered around the wooden table.“Relationship? Ha. He’d be on a plane to London tomorrow if someone told him he could have his old job back. What odds will you give me on him remaining single the rest of his life?”

“Look, I’m happy to take your money but those sound like rather long odds to me.” Dwayne shrugged, scribbling on a scrap of paper. 

“Ah C’mon Reg. Floyd adjusted the cap on his head as he spoke. “He’s gonna find someone to date, even if it’s not Catherine’s daughter.” He felt the need to stand up for the DI who’d let him off a drink drive charge last week and had then accompanied him to see his elderly mother who had called to say she had fallen.

“And how would you police it. He could outlive us!” Joseph pointed out just before a strident voice silenced the group.

“Dwayne Myers!” 

The man in question hurriedly pocketed his notes, plastering on a wide smile. “Catherine. You’re looking particularly beautiful today.” He called. 

Flicking a towel across her shoulder, the bar manager slipped past a small table occupied by a newly wed couple and made her way the last few metres to where he sat. The pair were attempting a complicated manoeuvre which involved linking arms and drinking champagne and Dwayne felt it was destined for disaster.

“Gentlemen, you look very involved in your business. Can I get any of you a drink?” 

The five grown men almost tripped over one another in their haste to escape, offering a variety of explanations and jumbled excuses as they went. Dwayne shook his head at them. Amateurs. 

Catherine watched them leave before calmly levelling her eyes at him. “You’d better not be doing anything that could put me out of business.” 

Dwayne tapped his badge. “I think we’re safe.” 

“And what you slipped into your pocket was?”

“What was what?” 

Catherine firmly held his gaze, hand held out.

He sighed, glancing left and right before handing over the evidence. 

“Betting odds? Dwayne!” Brows creased, she scanned the scrawled writing. “Who or what are T.C and C.B?” 

“You don’t want to know.”

“Oh but I do Cheri.” She smiled, sweetly but deadly.

“Well T.C stands for The Chief and-” 

Rapidly working out the rest, Catherine clipped him sharply around the ear. “That’s my daughters life you’re betting on.”

He rubbed his ear, unrepentant. “Sorry Catherine. But it’s just too good.”

“Hmmm.” She wiped some crumbs off the table, absently scanning the bar. The young couple were still laughing and sipping and spilling champagne. “So what are the current odds?”

“Now we’re talking” he slapped his hand down onto the wooden surface merrily. The new husband at the adjacent table startled and dropped his glass.

*****

“Incoming, hide the evidence guys.” Late in the afternoon Fidel ran in, a concerned expression on his face.

Barely a pace behind him, Richard strode in. “Evidence?” 

Fidel laughed nervously, head swinging back and forth between his superior and the two at the table. “Old police joke Sir, that’s all.” 

Richard nodded, apparently losing interest and continued his path across the quiet restaurant to where Catherine and Dwayne had been debating the towns current consensus on their DI and his Sergeant. “Dwayne! Where did you disappear to. I thought we were going to review your notes from the house to house enquiries?” 

“Hello to you Richard! And how are you this fine day?” Catherine was the first to respond. 

“Catherine.” He inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Fed up of chasing down my officers is what I am.”

“Afternoon Chief.” Dwayne looked unruffled. “Thought I saw one of the suspects heading this way so I’ve been checking out the street.”

“And did you?” Richard asked, dubiously.

“Did I what?”

“Find anything - see anyone - make any sort of progress in the case that would account for your time here this afternoon.” 

“Errr. Not yet. But I’m working on it.”

“Hmmmm.”

“I have the report from the cruise terminal office Sir.” Fidel interrupted.

“Great, thanks Fidel. Anything jumping out at you?”

“No, sorry.” 

Richard rubbed the back of his neck. “Ok.” He looked around him, the low sun of late afternoon casting shafts of light across the floor. “Well it doesn’t look like we’re going to get any further today. Let’s start again in the morning. I shall leave you to enjoy your evenings.” 

“Not going to join us for a drink Boss?”

Richard immediately looked brighter. “Not tonight Dwayne. I have a date.”

“What?” Dwayne, Catherine and Fidel abruptly snapped to attention, voices in concert.

“Yes, with Rebecca. I’m particularly looking forward to my evening.”

“What?” Dwayne repeated, rubbing sweaty palms against his trousers. He was going to lose out big time.

“She’s a real page turner.”

He frowned, slightly baffled. Was this a new euphemism that he wasn’t familiar with? 

“It’s a book.” Fidel whispered.

Dwayne exhaled, shoulders dropping in relief. “Don’t let us keep you from her then Chief.” He replied, smile returning. 

Richard nodded wishing them a perfunctory farewell.

They watched him disappearing back out into the fading light. “That was close. One day he’s going to catch you you know.” Fidel nudged his friend. 

“Nah.” 

“Don’t you bet against it. He’s a great detective.”

Dwayne tapped fingers against his lips. “Should I also be offering odds on whether he catches onto the betting pool?”

Fidel groaned.

*****

“Camille, we can’t.” 

“Why not? You said yourself they’re settling in at the bar.”

“Because.” 

“Because what?”

“What if someone pops back in.” 

“Then the game is up and we have to come clean.”

“But-”

“Would that be such a bad thing?

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like losing.” 

“You are such a frustrating man!”

Richard shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”

*****

“Morning Chief. No Camille?” 

Richard looked around “No, not yet.”

“That’s unusual isn’t it?”

How would I know? What that woman does in her spare time is a mystery to me. And one I do not have the time nor the inclination to solve. 

Wow. Dwayne mouthed at Fidel sat quietly behind his desk. 

Fidel shrugged in response, flicking his head to indicate they could confer on the veranda. As Richard turned back to study the whiteboard, Dwayne stepped backward through the double doors. He was joined 30 seconds later. 

“What was all that about?” 

“No idea, it seemed to come from nowhere. Do you think they’ve had another row?”

“Wouldn’t put it past them.” Dwayne had been caught in the crossfire of their spats once too often. 

“But it’s more unusual now isn’t it? For him to be grumpy about her with us.”

“Yeah. Or.”

“Or what?”

“Maybe she’s going out with someone else and he’s all cut up about it.”

“She wouldn’t do that to him.” Fidel felt certain. 

“Are you sure? She doesn’t turn down any of those blind dates her mother organises for her.” Dwayne pointed out.

“That’s just because it’s Catherine. You don’t say no to Catherine. Anyway, didn’t she place a bet herself last week?” 

“Could be double bluff.”

“Really? Catherine?” Fidel held each one of his friends in high esteem. 

“If she had insider knowledge, you don’t think?” Unlike his younger colleague, Dwayne wouldn’t put it past Catherine to have gleaned information from her daughter. 

“Dwayne, Fidel?” Richards voice drifted clearly through the doorway. “Am I supposed to be a one man band? Because let me tell you, that’s not how I thought we operated around here.” 

“Here Sir.” They spoke in harmony, stepping back inside. 

*****

“Cheers!” The team clinked tea cup with beer bottles and a large fuschia coloured cocktail, complete with it’s giant green straw and yellow umbrella.

“Well done Chief.” Dwayne ran his finger around the top of his bottle, the resultant humming noise making Richards face twitch. 

“I’m still not sure how you figured out that it was the Captains husband who’d tampered with the documents Sir.” Fidel was still trying to work his way through the steps of the case.

Richard leaned across the table. “Well, you see it was-”

“Nope!” Camille took a noisy slurp of the cocktail, the straw sticking to her lips briefly as she straightened. 

The three men stared at her.

“Case is done so leave the analysis for the office. We’re here to enjoy a relaxing drink together.”

Richard frowned. “Sharing information and teaching ones Junior officers is an important part of team building Sergeant.”

“Which can wait till tomorrow. It’s not like you’ll forget any of the details - is it!” She arched a single eyebrow, goading.

“Surely that’s my decision. You know, seeing as I’m the boss around here?” The tea cup rattled in its saucer as he placed it down less than gently.

Dwayne caught Fidels eye. More drinks? He mouthed, flicking his head towards the bar to check his friend had cottoned on. 

“I thought we were democratically team building, not running an authoritarian regime. - Sir.” Camille replied, sarcasm clear in her tone.

Fidel and Dwayne hastily pushed back their chairs to leave them to the brewing argument.

*****

Sun high in the sky and the market place noisy and crowded Richard and Camille made their way down the road towards the tourist office. 

Dragging Richard into a side alley, Camille pressed her lips to his, open mouthed and passionate, nipping at the corner of his mouth as she withdrew. 

“What was that for?” Richard tugged his jacket down and adjusted his tie. 

“Because I could.” 

“But we could be seen.”

“Rubbish. There’s no-one here.” She leant in for another short kiss, smoothing her hand down the silky striped tie. 

Flustered, he tried again. “Camille, we agreed not when we’re working a case.” 

“Pah! We broke that rule weeks ago.” When it looked like he was going to debate the point further, she patted his chest. “Don’t worry, I’m done. We can get back to work.”

Richard pouted. “Maybe one more before we do?” 

Camille grinned, pulling him in close and slipping her hands around his body, beneath his jacket.

*****

“Camille!” 

“Hmmm?” She replied, trying to hold onto the sentence she was reading.

“Now! Are you ready?” 

She sighed. “Not really.” 

“5-, 4-,” He counted down in an exaggerated whisper.

Camille dropped the file she was holding onto the desk. “Come on Richard, seriously?” 

“Sergeant!” He raised his voice, tone irritated. 

Camille let out a puff of air, responding condescendingly “Yes Sir.” 

“I want to talk to you about the debacle yesterday. I don’t know how many times I keep having to say it but it was not your job to let yourself into that house on a whim. You can’t keep breaking the rules or cutting corners whenever you fancy.”

From his position half way up the steps, Dwayne slowed. He pulled his phone out, pressing it to one ear to give the impression he had taken a call if he were noticed and tilted his head to hear the ongoing disagreement within the office.

“Are you quite finished?” She asked provokingly, placing her palms flat on the wooden surface and rising from her chair.

“No! I’m not!” He exclaimed warming to the argument. “I’m sick to the back teeth of being undermined in my own office. If you don’t like the way I run things around here then I suggest you return to your previous job.”

“Bit difficult to do that when you blew my cover so effectively.” She sarcastically answered.

“Oh come on, that was over two years ago now.” 

“You think criminals have that short a memory?” Camille paused for breath, trying to control the flare of temper. “Believe me, the way I feel right now, if I could have gone, I’d be gone by now. And then I wouldn’t have to stand here and listen to your self righteous bullshit. Half the cases on this island wouldn’t have been solved were it not for my cutting corners as you eloquently describe it.” 

“That does not give you the right to-”

“You think you’re this big man, sent over from the old Empire to save us. And we should all be fawning around you like, like goats.”

“Sheep,” he muttered.

“But you’re not. And I won’t. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it. And while you’re doing that, let me get on with my job.” Camille plopped back into her seat heavily.

Out on the veranda Dwayne grimaced, wondering if he could turn back around rather than head into whatever atmosphere he was going to find.

*****

“Do you think they know about the betting pool?” Dwayne mused, later that evening taking a long, much needed swig from the bottle. 

“I wouldn’t put it past them. Your DI seems to know everything before it happens. And that’s without Camille’s intuition.” Sam leant back in his chair, stretching his arms high above his head until his shoulders popped agreeably. 

“My daughter is rather brilliant.” Catherine smiled. 

“It’s just, I’ve been thinking about it and I’m sure they staged that argument earlier. It sounded off.”

“I saw them snogging behind the cash and carry.” Joseph reminded them.

“If you’re right.” Dwayne waved his bottle in the young mans direction.

“I am!”

“It still needs more than your word if you want paying out.” Dwayne stuck to his guns.

“How’s that fair?”

“Tough. Them’s the rules.”

“Hmmph.” Joseph glowered, resting his chin forward onto his hands

Dwayne fiddled with the bottle, peeling the paper off in small strips. “So what are they up to?” 

*****

“Shhhhh.” Richard shifted closer in the dark cramped space of the store cupboard.

“Sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.” 

He could hear the mischief in her voice.

“Your performance earlier.” he murmured into her ear. “You were imperious.” 

“I was?” 

“It was very attractive, oh god. That’s, yes, keep going.”

“Thought you wanted to be quiet.” She teased, hands drifting lower.

“Right there.”

“Let me just. Oh wow. You weren’t kidding when you said now.”

“Camille.” 

“What?”

“Stop talking.”

“Right, action not words. I was only-”

“Shhhhh.” Richard blindly grasped her head, pulling her lips to his. He’d found it was the best way sometimes.

*****

Camille exhaled heavily, watching Fidel make his way out of the Police Station. The latest argument with Richard leaving her feeling drained.

“I don’t understand what we’re trying to do.” 

Richard looked up from his desk. “What’s difficult to understand?”

“Well initially the sneaking around was fun.”

“Agreed.”

“And it presented some interesting opportunities for me to tick off my list.”

His eyes widened. “You had some of those things we did on a list?”

“Focus Richard. What I’m asking is what impression are we trying to give now? Do we want them to think we’re together or not, or aware of their little game or not?” 

“Well-” 

“And all this fighting and hiding. I want to show you off. I want to tell my mother no more blind dates. I want to-” Camille flung her hands up in exasperation. “Whereas you seem to be revelling in messing with the towns collective mind. It feels like it’s more important to you than actually having a relationship with me.”

“That’s not-”

“Are you sure? Currently Dwayne and Fidel think that I’m on the verge of killing you. Montel from the water sports centre believes we’re at it like rabbits, Maman is slightly concerned that I’m about to apply for a job in Lyon and I can’t even catch a glimpse of Dwayne’s odds so have no idea what the rest of the town are opining.” 

“Can we talk about this later, Fidel is on his-”

“Arrggghhh! No! Enough!” Camille slammed her hand down on the desk, sending a venomous glare in Richards direction before marching out of the station, bowling past Fidel on his way back up the steps. 

Fidel hesitantly poked his head around the door. Richard was sat, head in hands staring disconsolately down at his desk. Deeming it safe to enter, he approached his boss. 

“Just came back to pick up my - Sir?”

“Fidel. Just give me a moment, then I’ll be with you.” He exhaled roughly, rubbing his palms across his face.

“Are you alright?”

“Not really Fidel. I may have made a slight error in judgement and am now a little lost as to how to proceed.”

“With a case Sir?”

“Hmmm? No.” Richard roused himself, dropping his hands to the desk and propelling himself to standing. “Never mind. Right, the Mason case. Where were we?” 

“Errr, I’m not staying, you told me to go and interview the beach goers remember? I just came back to get my phone.” 

“Yes, yes. Quite. Thanks Fidel.” Richard replied, distracted.

******

“Maman, get me the largest, most alcoholic thing on the menu right now.”

“Cherie?” 

Camille slid heavily onto the bar stool and flopped her head down onto the bar, relaxing as her mother ran a gentle hand through her thick dark curls. “Bad day?”

“The worst. Why I ever gave up under cover work for this I’ll never know. Not that I gave it up of course. Being forced to quit is just another thing on the list that I have to thank him for.” 

“So we’re talking about Richard.”

“Yes. Who else could it be. That man. How can one person be soooo annoying. And thinks he’s always right when he most definitely isn’t. Arrggghhh.” 

Catherine patted her head once more then turned away to put together a large rum cocktail for her daughter.

*****

Wandering over to Camille's desk, Richard swept his hand back and forth across the rough grainy surface. He paced over to the whiteboard, footsteps echoing around the quiet office, then returned, picking up a pen to fiddle with nervously. Camille studied him through her lashes, eventually deciding to put him out of his misery. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have stormed out and then not answered my phone all night.” 

“No, you were right. And-”

“Hang on.” Camille lifted her hand to pause the conversation.

“What?”

“I want to revel for a moment in your last statement, you admitting that I was right.” The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, relieved at the release of tension in the room. 

“Very amusing. What I was about to say was that I don’t want to hide either. I’d like to make this work.” 

“This?”

“Stop teasing me. You know I mean us.” 

“Ok,” she relented, “so?”

“So, I was thinking. How about we put an end to all the sneaking around.”

“Yes please! Finally!” 

“But.” He continued.

Camille stared at him. 

“But perhaps we could go out with a bang?”

Camille lowered her chin to rest it in her hands, smiling flirtatiously across the desk. “That sounds an intriguing proposition, tell me more!”

*****

“Are you sure?” Dwayne studied the young man, holding himself up on one of the uprights outside Catherine’s bar and breathing heavily. 

“I don’t believe it. Camille would have told me.” Catherine responded, staring up the Main Street in the general direction of the police station.

“Hand on heart that’s what I overheard. They were hugging with big smiles on their faces and everything.” Joseph asserted.

“Even the Chief?”

“Especially him!” 

“And they mentioned the word officiate?” Dwayne was not going to simply accept Joseph’s word without question. 

“Yes! Why does no-one ever believe me. Camille said something like, of course I will, then they chatted and then DI Poole said something about finding someone to officiate.” The young man insisted.

“And how far away were you? 

“Couple of doors away at the most. I was chillin, sat minding me own business.” 

“That does sound rather definite.” 

“Catherine, are you sure you don’t know anything?” 

“I honestly don’t Dwayne. Unless-” 

“Unless?” 

“Well Camille did tell me to keep Friday afternoon free. Something about putting nice dresses on and going out together.” 

“That’s it! It’s got to be!” Joseph exclaimed excitedly.

Reg shook his head firmly. “They’re messing with us. They think we’re going to fall for this hook line and sinker.”

“I think it’s romantic.” Juliet spoke, jigging Rosie on her shoulder and offering her a breadstick to keep her settled. 

“It would be if it were true. But they’re onto us.” Reg was convinced.

“There’s no way that the Chief would be brave enough to ask a woman like Camille to marry him so soon. They must know that we know.” Dwayne reluctantly agreed. 

“So what now? Who wins?”

“Never mind about that for a minute.” Dwayne brushed off the question, thinking out loud. “I say we turn the tables on them.” 

“What do you mean?” Fidel frowned, suspicious of becoming embroiled into one of Dwayne's schemes.

“Well, I happen to know a priest that owes me a favour-” he paused.

A chorus of voices urged him to continue. 

“And, if they’re plotting a wedding, let’s give them a wedding!”

Slightly discomforted by the direction the conversation had taken, Catherine spoke up. “Dwayne, this could go horribly wrong.”

He smiled encouragingly at her. “S’ok Catherine. We won’t have to actually do anything. Father Williams can just pop out to say hello. Give em a bit of a surprise.”

“And Camille has been complicit in this little ruse of theirs.” Reg added, keen to save face after seemingly being proven so wrong in his assertion that the inspector would never land a date with a woman. 

“I suppose.” Catherine wavered.

“So it’s on?” Dwayne scanned the small gathering. 

Catherine followed his gaze, pausing on each face before slowly nodding. Reg let out a whoop and fist bumped Dwayne. 

*****

“Let me look at you.” Catherine encouraged her daughter to twirl around, clasping the younger woman’s hands in hers as she completed her 360° turn. “You look so beautiful darling.” 

Camille acknowledged the compliment with a strained chuckle, fingers twitching in her mother’s palm. 

“So where are we going ma cherie?” Catherine asked, her tone light and innocent. 

I thought we could head across town Maman, enjoy the views along the top road? 

“Up past the church you mean.”

“Yes. Richard even said he might join us.” 

“Really? Oh that will be nice. Is he dressing up too?” 

“Oh you know him Maman. He’s always dressed up.” 

*****

“Welcome my friends.” Father Williams stepped through the door, arm outstretched ready to shake hands. 

Richard cast an anxious glance to Camille, then back towards the priest, biting his lip.

Camille cleared her throat roughly. “Good day to you Father.” She managed, shaking his hand then digging an elbow into Richards ribs to encourage him to follow suit. 

“I must say, it certainly is a beautiful day.” The man smiled genially at the stunned pair, directing an unseen wink at Catherine who was hovering behind. “Are we ready?” 

Richard spluttered, turning puce. More than a little bemused herself, Camille clapped his back, eyes darting back and forth between Richard, her mother and the man stood patiently in front of them. 

“There must-, I think there’s been a mistake Father.” She finally answered. “We weren’t expecting to meet you today.” 

“You weren’t?” 

“You weren’t?” Catherine echoed, sounding shocked.

“You didn’t?” Dwayne appeared around the corner of the building. 

Camille tugged on her ear lobe, glancing from face to face for clues. “What’s going on Dwayne?” 

“You tell me Sarge.” He beamed. “You’re looking rather lovely today if I may say so. And you too Chief.” 

Dragging some much needed air into his burning lungs, Richard pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. He pressed it to his mouth as Dwayne continued, raising his voice to call out. “Fidel! They look great all dressed up don’t they!”

Fidel sidled around the corner, almost apologetic in his guise, trailed by Juliet, holding baby Rosie and Reg and Joseph. Montel and Floyd appeared from the opposite direction, the older man holding a camera in one hand and what looked like a box of rice in the other. 

“Sam and a few others wanted to be here but sadly work dictated.” Dwayne apologised, smile growing further in intensity.

“Maman?” Camille spun around to face her mother.

“Yes ma petite? It’s such a nice day for a wedding non?”

“But we didn’t, we’re not-”

“You’re not? Her mother answered, appearance all confusion. “Well then why are we all gathered here, in our finery?”

Father Williams helpfully interrupted. “Come now, if you’re nervous, then please don’t think you’re the only ones. I’ve lost count of how many couples have stood on this very spot, having second thoughts.”

“Second thoughts?” Richard finally found his voice. “I’ve hardly had chance for first thoughts! Now will someone tell me what the hell is going on.” 

“I think the English expression is we’ve been rumbled.” Camille spoke softly a rueful expression on her face as she joined the dots.

Richard turned his head to narrow his eyes at Dwayne. “Dwayne. Care to explain?” 

Dwayne's hands were already up, in a posture of supplication, grin still fixed to his face. 

“Before this conversation goes much further, might I butt in?” Father Williams spoke. “Were you planning on getting married or not?” 

“No!” Richard exclaimed loudly, gaze fixed on Dwayne. 

“Ok. You don’t have to be so vehement about it.” Camille responded.

He swung around to face her. “Camille, I didn’t-, that’s not to say I-”

“So do you think you might require my services this morning?” The priest persisted, hands remaining loosely clasped in a relaxed stance. 

The gathered crowd turned to look at Richard who was running his hands through his hair distractedly. Sounds from the busy waterfront floated up the hill and motorbikes could be heard revving their engines on the main road out of town.

“Richard?” Camille touched a gentle hand to his arm.

He looked up at her, around at the gathering then at Father Williams as everyone held their breath. 

Finally he shrugged awkwardly, palms showing and sweat beading on his brow.

“Is that it?” Camille dropped her arm.

“What?”

“That’s seriously the best you can do.”

“I don’t-”

“If you don’t want to marry me, then fine!” She poked her finger into his face, voice dropping dangerously. “But if you think for a single second that I’m going to marry someone who can only shrug when presented with the opportunity then you’re seriously deluded.” 

Mouth open, Richard stared wide eyed as she stormed down the road, heading for the harbour. 

“Think you’d better go after her Chief.” Dwayne helpfully suggested. 

Richard whirled around to glare at his officer. “Don’t think I’m going to forget this Dwayne.” He growled, then with a surprising turn of speed took off after Camille, calling her name. The small group followed his progress as he caught up and fell into step with her, he apologetic, her defiant. 

Dwayne turned at the firm hand on his shoulder. “I’ll give you twenty on a wedding before the month is out.” Montel grinned, floating the note in front of his face. 

*****

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies if you hate how this ended..... please let me know if you did, or if you didn’t!


End file.
